Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 15.2-709.3 as follows:
§15.2-709.3. Independent policing auditor.
A. The board may appoint an independent policing auditor to support any law-enforcement civilian oversight body created by the board pursuant to §9.1-601. The independent policing auditor shall have all the powers of the law-enforcement civilian oversight body, to the extent such powers are delegated to the independent policing auditor by the oversight body.
B. The board may provide staff assistance to the
independent policing auditor that may be independent of the administrative
staff of the county. The independent policing auditor and any such staff shall
be hired on the basis of merit and shall be paid in conformity with existing
pay scales. The independent policing auditor shall serve at the pleasure of the
board [ and, if removed, such removal shall not be subject to review
by any other employee, agency, board, or commission of the county or under the
grievance procedure adopted pursuant to §15.2-1506 ] .